Until We Meet Again
by pinkxjellybean
Summary: My version of Ahkmenrah's childhood. More info in the author's note. I KNOW the first few chapters suck. It will get better, I promise. RnR.
1. I

AN: I love Ahkmenrah. Now, I know there are a dozen and a half of these stories about his childhood, but I couldn't resist writing one. If you have read my other story on here you know most of the original characters. If not you'll catch on. If not, you should. All you need to know if you don't already is that George, Rikki, and T.M. all work for the International Bureau for Supernatural Investigation and Defense.

The story's basically Ahk's childhood, he's about five or six. Kara is George's daughter. If you read Guardians, yes, Kara is baby Frankie. She's four or five but is more or less a child genius and is good at causing mischief and at getting young Ahkmenrah to go along with her plans. Please review.

Character list

George: The master agent, Kara's father. Loves his daughter, but holds her to high standards of behavior. A strict man, but rarely finds himself rarely punishing his daughter.

Rikki: One of George's apprentices. Likes to film things with her new video camera.

T.M.: Junior apprentice to George. Silly and willing to aid Kara in just about all of her mischief. Acts as an older brother to both Ahkmenrah and Kara.

Kara: A very impish, fun-loving four year old girl who enjoys pranking. Is potentially a prodigy but rarely applies her genius to anything aside mischief and averting punishment. Is the apple of her father's eye and adores him in return.

Ahkmenrah: The pharaoh's youngest and favorite son. Brother of Kahmunrah, Befriends Kara. Honest, straight forward and kind hearted. Follows Kara but is rarely connected to any trouble she causes.

Disclaimer for whole story: I don't own anything except my ocs. If I did I would have never gone to public school.

George had gladly left IBSID when he had met Diana. They fell in love and married. With in a year, their daughter Kara was born. Kara grew up to love her father and look up to him as his mentor. George realized that Kara was different from most children. This knowledge created a higher intellectual standard for Kara from her father. George took the opportunity to teach his daughter. By the time she was four, she spoke Greek, French, Italian, Latin and Arabic. She was able to read chapter books and could understand Political theory and History. The only thing that Kara failed to grasp was math.

When Kara was four, and Diana was expecting another baby, George was called to do one last job for the Bureau. The job in question was dealing with the Tablet. The Tablet was the only thing in George's career that left a sour taste in his mouth. He despised that he had been ordered to tell the ancients to create. That he had been forced to tip that scale. That because of him, all the spells and magic that the ancient Egyptians possessed had been crafted to be wielded by any one man. But the Bureau had requested he return for one job.

So he packed a sachel and kissed his wife and daughter good bye and said he'd be back soon. Kara cried and held tight to his pant leg, refusing to let him leave. But he'd pried her loose and cast the teleportation spell to take him to Rikki and T.M. who waited for him in the ancient desert.


	2. II

George had been in Egypt for a time period that he understood to pass as a week when the prisoner was brought before the pharaoh for judgment. Her crime? Assaulting one of the youngest princes, Ahkmenrah. George, while being under no illusions relating to the political corruptions present in the Pharaoh's court, was rather fond of Ahkmenrah. The boy was kind hearted, if a bit naïve and spoiled.

A few days after arriving in the courts, George had shown Ahkmenrah the photograph of Kara that George kept in his wallet. Ahkmenrah looked at the picture with wonder, and had touched it; unsure whether it was a real person, as realistic as it was. George had let him hold it, causing the boy to run away with it, insisting that it was his.

George had been discussing the tablet when the captive was presented. His heart stopped, but his mind race, not sure how to understand that his daughter was standing before Ahkenaten, barefoot in Osh- Kosh overalls, a small backpack over her shoulders. The soldiers push the toddler forward, and explain the charges before her. Ahkenaten looked at the girl with a poorly concealed smile, "Do you understand why you are here?"

Kara looked at George and started forward, the guards stopped her, "Papa?" she looked at him.

"Do you know this girl?"  
"She is my daughter Kara. I left her at home with my wife. How did you get here, Kara?"

"I followed you. The book told me how," the little girl said.

"Let her go." Ahkenaten ordered. Dismissing the guards, he motioned the child to come closer, "The guards tell me that you hit my son."  
"I didn't hit him. I pushed him down."

George ran his hand over his face.

"George, would you mind fetching Ahkmenrah from the garden? He ought to be there now for his lessons."

He bowed and left the throne room. He walked the halls to the gardens where the younger children learned to read. Ahkmenrah sat towards the front of the patio. Like all of the children, he worn no cloths. His writing tablet sat before him, his name scrawled in hieroglyphs, a few minor mistakes that his teacher would later correct. His head was shaved, except for the youthful side lock that all children wore. The teacher, Kai, looked up at George, "What do you want?"

"King Ahkenaten requests that he be allowed to borrow Ahkmenrah momentarily," George said calmly.

The instructor nodded his head, and motions Ahkmenrah away, before squinting back at the writing tablet of one of Ahkmenrah's half sisters, and correcting the girl. Ahkmenrah rose from his cushion and followed George to his father's throne room.

The Throne Room made Ahkmenrah nervous. All of the elderly advisors stood around watching him with their long faces. When his father was in the Throne Room, it was not a leisure visit by any means. His father rarely smiled in that room and if Ahkmenrah, or any of the children were called to the room, it meant someone was in trouble and was likely to be disciplined.

But there were no advisors or viziers standing about. There was only Father and the little girl that Ahkmenrah had seen earlier in the day. Ahkmenrah saw the girl and a grin broke out on her face, and he ran towards her, "Friend!"

He got a foot from her when he found himself once more on the ground. He sat up and looked at her.

George was yelling at the girl in a language that he didn't know or understand, and she was responding in an exasperated tone. George orders her to do something.

The girl looks at the prince on the floor, "I apologize of pushing you."

"And?" prompts her father.

"And I won't do it again… but really dude, why are you naked?!"


	3. III

"Pharaoh, I ask that you allow me to keep my daughter here until a time when I may return her home," George bowed low to the floor.

Kara watched with no real comprehension. She couldn't understand why her father was bowing to this man, and saw no reason that she should imitate his actions.

Ahkenaten considered the plea for agonizing moments before saying, "What service could your daughter perform."  
"She can not go home, Pharaoh, there is nothing else that can be done, but to keep her here with me."

"Father?" asks Ahkmenrah looking up over the arm of his father's throne, "May I keep her?"

"Why would you want her?" Ahkenaten asked his son, amused by the boys request.

"She is my friend. I want her to stay and play with me."

Ahkenaten looked at his son then at the young girl next to George, "I could have any other child brought-"

"But I want that one."

"Why?"

Kara watched the exchange, indignation filling her with every passing word.

"Because she's different."

"I am not a present to be asked for," Kara said finally, "If I am your friend I will decide so by my own will, not because your father has given me to you as some sort of present."

The three sets of eyes turn to her.

The Pharaoh's face held a look of calculation that worried her father. The man rose from his throne, "You speak our language, yet you are not of this land."

"Kara speaks six languages."

"Does she speak Greek?"  
"Yes."

"Prove it. Speak greek."

George looked at Kara pleadingly.

"Ya su, Pos iste? Me lene Kara Stuart. Ime apo Washington DC. Harika ya tin gnorimia," the little girl said, clearly bored and agitated by the entire situation.

Ahkenaten chucked, "Your daughter shall stay as long as you stay. She will leave with you when you leave. She may come and go as she pleases, with the understanding that she will not break any law, and will help Ahkmenrah with his Greek, as it has come to my attention that he has been neglecting his language studies. Let it be as I have said."

Geoge bowed again, "Thank you, Pharaoh. I will take her to our rooms now," George took the little girl by her hand and led her through the halls to the guest room he occupied with the apprentices. There was an smaller extra bed room that George took Kara into, "You will sleep here, alright, munchkin?"

"Who is that boy?"  
"Which boy?"  
"The one who doesn't wear clothes?"  
"His name is Ahkmenrah. He is one of the Pharaoh's sons."  
"Pharaoh?"  
"Yes, he is the king here. No children wear clothing here, so you mustn't be surprised by it, and you mustn't say anything about it, or anything that may upset the Pharaoh or any of the royal family. If Ahkmenrah asks you to go out to play, you go and play. Ask me first, but odds are I will tell you to go."  
"He's very spoiled."  
"He isn't so bad. Compared to some of his siblings anyway."  
"Does he have many siblings?"  
"Yes, a little over a hundred I believe."

She snorted her disbelief, "No mommy could have a hundred babies."  
George stooped down in front of the girl, "Things are different here, you must remember that. The Pharaoh has more than one wife. In fact he has twenty."  
"Nuh-uh!"

George smiled, "Yuh-huh. Now let me brush your hair, it looks like no one has since I left."

The little girl sat next to her father on the bed, "This place is weird."  
"This place is just different."


	4. IV

**Ok, I know I've been neglecting you guys. But not a whole lot of you seem to read this anyway... If you've gotten this far then please keep reading because it does get good now, at least i hope so. I won't know if you guys like this unless you tell me so. If you don't like it, tell me what I can do to make it better. If you do like it, tell me so I know to keep up the good work. Thanks and enjoy.**

When Kara woke up the next morning, there were two women kneeling in front of her.

"Oh, so you are awake, little one," said the first woman in Egyptian.

"Where is my Papa?" Kara asked.

"He is speaking with the Pharaoh."

Kara just looked at her, and the other woman at her side, "Who are you?" she stumbled through the question, being still half asleep.

"I am Setnay, and this is Nofret," says the first woman.

"We are your attendants," Nofret said.

"What's an attendant?" Kara asked.

"We are to mind you."

"Mind me?"

"Keep you from trouble."

"That's alright, I can mind myself."

The two women laughed, "Isn't she the cutest?" asked Setnay, picking the girl up from the bed.

"Indeed, though so strange looking," Nofret said, "You will not need clothes here, little one, it's much too hot for it."

"You wear clothes," the little girl retorted.

"I am a grown up, it's different."

"I'm not walking outside naked. I have clothes of my own and I will wear them if I want to."

"Then we will help you to dress yourself," Setnay says, amused and only agreeing to humor the child.

"I can do it myself," Kara collecting her little backpack and going behind the changing screen, and putting on a little pink sundress. When she was dressed, she put on her small slip on sandals, and stood up in front of them.

The women looked at each other but didn't say anything.

"Could one of you help me with my hair?" the little girl looked up at them with the most serious of expressions on her face.

Nofret picked the child up and sat her on the bed, and ran a comb gently through Kara's hair, "Where is your mother? She would be the one to mind you rather than we, if you do not want us to look after you."

"My mother is at home."

"Did she not travel here with you?"

"No."  
"Surely she will worry about you."

"I don't know."

Nofret untangled the last lock of hair then announced that she was done, and Kara hopped off the bed.

"Thank you for your help," Kara started out of the door, the two attendants following her. After a few minutes, Kara turned back, "Are you following me?"

"Why, of course," Setnay smiled.

"I am alright without you."

"I'm sure, but we are to keep an eye on you."

"Why?"  
"Because you are prince Ahkmenrah's playmate, and it would be unfortunate if you got into trouble."

"So, you're going to follow me everywhere that I go?"

"Yes for the most part, unless there is another attendant at hand.  
"I have more attendants than you two?"

They laugh again, "No," Nofret said, "The royal children all have their own attendants, most have more than just two, and none have fewer."

"Great…" The toddler wandered through the palace, occasionally asking questions about different things and rooms. There were numerous gardens through out the palace, some she could enter, some she could not. Some gardens were filled with children sitting in rows or semi-circles. All of the children were nude, just as her father had said they would be. The groups of children were not alone, there were adults with them. There was generally a man talking to the children, teaching them, as well as a few women who sat at the back of the garden, the clothing of some women seemed nicer than that of others.

"What are those children doing?" Kara asked.

"They are taking in their lessons," Nofret said in a soft voice.

"And the women?"  
"Some are mothers, others are attendants."

The girl nodded.

After what seemed like a whole day (but was infact an hour) children and attendants seemed to flood the hallways.  
"Where are they all coming from?" Kara asked Nofret as she spoke to her in a more adult manner than Setnay tended to.

"The lesson hours are over for this day, all of the pharaoh's children are going to take their noon meal."

"Is there more than one Pharaoh?"  
"No, ofcourse not!"

"How can he have so many children? No mommy can have so many."

"The pharaoh has more than one wife, of course."

Kara looked up at Nofret, "nuh-uh!"

Nofret tilted her head, unsure what the expression meant and decided to say no more on the matter, "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, where do we go for food?'

"Come along," Nofret and Setnay led her down the hallways to a garden filled with children, all sittine at a table that was shaped like the walls of the garden, a square, each place was set with a table with plates with a meat cutlet.

Ahkmenrah sat at the table next to an empty seat. One of his brothers went over to sit next to him.

"No!" Ahkmenrah put his hand down on the seat, "My friend will sit here!" he saw Kara with Nofret and Setnay, and waved at her, "New friend! I saved you a seat! Come here!"

Kara started to back up, but Setnay stopped her, and patted her shoulder reassuringly, "Go ahead."


	5. V

Kara reluctanlty went over to the boy who excitedly waved at her, saving the seat at his side.

"Friend! I am glad you were able to join us for this meal!" The young prince said in a proud voice, as if this was a grand feast rather than a noon time meal for the Pharaoh's children.

Kara examined the cut of meat before picking it up, chewing on the cutlet, and looking around at the other children. There were so many, and they all looked so alike. All with dark hair and eyes. All the boys had their heads shaved except for the lock of hair that hung on one side.

"What do you think of my home?" Ahkmenrah asked, poking the girls arm.

"It's big," she said simply.

"Yes," the boy smiled as if this was the best compliment she could have paid him or his home,"it is indeed, friend. It is a good home. Is your palace as grand as this?"

"ki don't live in a palace."

"You don't? Why not? You should."

"I live in an appartment."

"Is it as large as this?"he waved his hand around the courtyard.

Kara nodded,"about this size, maybe a little bit smaller."

Ahkmenrah sighed, "I am truely sorry."

"Why?N

Nbecause you live in so small a house. You must be very poor. It is truely sad."

"There's nothing wrong with my home!" The small girl hopped up, and climbed over the bench.

"Sit down, friend," Ahkmenrah demanded, pounding his hand on the table. Kara glared at him, and marched away, the boy scrambling after her, demanding her return.

0x0x0x0

George stood to the side in the audience chamber, his former apprentices, Rikki and TM, listening to the people who kneeled before the Pharaoh to be heard with the desperate that he would be able to solve their problems for them.

The large doors flung open, yeilding to the the little girl who charged into the room, her face flushed scarlet with rage.

Ahkmenrah had trailed her, but stopped at the threshold, not wishing to invade his fathers domain with the same flagrant ignorance that his new playmate could use to excuse her actions. Kara marched over to her father and jammered on in the language Ahkmenrah had heard them use before. George hid his face in one hand.

Nofret and Setnay had, too, skidded to a stop at the doorway, and dropped their eyes as if to appologize for not being able to take care of the rambuncious toddler.

"Friend!" Ahmenrah demanded, "come here now!"

"No!" Kara yelled back,"You're a mean boy and I don't want to talk to you anymore!"

"I don't care, you are poor and stupid!" The young prince snapped back, still unwilling to set a foot in the audience chamber which was silent as the children yelled back and forth at each other. Kara hugged George's leg, he picked up his daughter and hugged her, noticing the tears on her face.

Ahkenaten stood, "why are these children not being properly attended to?"

Setnay rushed to George and snatched the child from his arms. Kara's limbs flung wildly trying to get free. She bit at the hand Setnay had pressed over her mouth. George followed after, meaning to take his daughter back.

Ahkmenrah was outside of the room, his head turned down to the floor, as a tall, beautiful woman gently scolded the boy. She wore a hat like a bird, with its wings pointed down over her hair,"Ahkmenrah, you should not speak that way to your new friend. You hurt her feelings."

"But she-"

"I don't care what she did. You are a prince, and you should act as such! Now appologize."

The little boy took a deep breath, "I am sorry, you are poor and dumb."

"Ahkmnerah," said the beautiful woman in a stern, warning voice.

He sighed, "I am sorry I hurt your feelings."

On Kara's shoulder, George's hand tightened, and she said, "I accept your appology."

"Well, if that is all, I must return to my gardens," the bird-hat-woman said, And she turned and walked away.

"I have to go back in, munchkin," George kissed the top of her head and went back into the room, through the huge doors.

Ahkmenrah looked longingly after the beautiful bird-hat lady. It wasn't until then that Kara noticed that both her and Ahkmenrah's attendants were on their knees, heads bent.

"Who was that lady?"

"My mother." 


	6. VI

**AN: I know it's once more been a while since I got this story updated, but unlike Fishy Tatttoo, I haven't really thought this one as far ahead. The Guardians stories seem to come to me so much easier and they dominate my notebooks.**

Ahkmenrah liked his new friend, though she oft struggled with over his name and its pronounciation, excusing herself by saying it was too long a name, especially when he was such a small pup of a boy, and instead she called him Ahkie.

Once he complained about the nickname, saying, "You do not like it when I call you 'friend' because it is not your name. Ho wis it different with 'Ahkie'?"

"Friend is a title. A thing. Ahkie is at least relatable to your birth given name."

And he shut up as always.

There was no way to argue with her, especially since she was a girl. His mother had told him to be polite to girls, and had stressed it after she had caught the youths in a brawl, though Kara had in the overall had the upper hand, Ahkmenrah had managed to pin her hands. The child squirmed and shrieked like some wild, trapped thing.

The queen ran and grasped the young boy by the neck and pried him off of his playmate, "Ahkmenrah! What are you doing?"

"She started it," Ahk whined.

"You fight a girl? Have I taught you nothing? You should never have any reason to strike a girl!"

"Kahmunrah struck Nofret... Kara's attendant," the boy said, refering to the day before when he and Kara had, with TM seen Kahmunrah speaking with Nofret, and they didn't think anything of the prince speaking to the servant, as she stared demurely at the floor as she spoke, she looked embarrassed, then he snapped in anger, and frustration, and he snatched her by her neck, hard enough so that there were dark smudges of bruises on her neck the neck morning. And he continued to hold her, and speak in a harsh low voice until TM cleared his throat, and alerted them to his presence.

The queen's lips became a thin line, she was aware of the event, as TM had informed both she and the Pharaoh at George's urging, "He was wrong to do so. Kara is smaller than you. I don't want to ever hear of you fighting her ever again, do you understand?"

"Yes, mother," said the young prince, sullenly.

"Good, now go make peace with your friend."

Ahkmenrah dragged his feet as he went over to Kara who squinted up at him from the dusty ground, her pale curls were tangled and dissheveled and dusty dirt clung to her clothes and skin. He kneeled in front of her, "I am sorry.."

She squinted again, "alright."

"Where are your attendants?" the Queen asked suddenly noticing their absence.

"We gave them the slip!" Kara said cheerfully, dusting herself off, seeing the disapproving look on the Queen's face, she ammended, "We are giving them a break, as I am sure looking after us is hard work."

The Queen didn't look at all as if she believed Kara, but looked at Kara as if she would like to laugh at the small girl's self-assurant ways until the child said in a serious voice, "Why did Kahrah hit Nofret?" (Kahrah is what Kara called Kahmunrah, as, once more it was a long name).

"I do not know," said the regal Queen, and it was to a degree true. She didn't know, for sure, though there were in deed rumors, and hints, but these children... they were children. They were simple and innocent, or so she thought.

"Is Nofret having a baby?" Kara asked.

The Queen's jaw would have dropped if she hadn't been forced through years of regal etiquette, "Why do you ask?"

"She's getting fat, but only on her tummy," the wide blue eyes stared up, unafraid, and certain of herself.

"It is not our place to gossip of the servants. It is not polite to do so."

"Who is the father?" Kara asked, unfazed.

"You will speak no more of this!" spoke the Queen sternly, "Now go to your attendants and stay out of trouble."

The children hurried away.

Once out of hearing Ahkmenrah said, "She cannot have a child, she is no one's wife."

"Women can have babies without being married," Kara said, "My older brother and sister were born to women that my father was not married to."

Ahkmenrah sighed, "I know that! But she is supposed to be married first!"

"Do you know where babies come from?" Kara asked suspictiously.

"Of course!" Ahkmenrah asked incredulously, "Mamas can tell when babies are going to be born, because her tummy is big, it starts hurting. It tells her that way. Then she goes up on the roof and waits. The priestesses chant and the baby falls on to the mama's tummy. It's there to break the baby's fall."

"I thought the stork brought it..." Kara replied, uncertain for once.

"That's silly."

Nofret came about the turn then and saw the two children. She was out of breath, from the stairs, "There you are!" she gasped, "I've looked everywhere for you! Come along!"

Kara and Ahkmenrah fell silent as soon as the attendant appeared, remembering the Queen's words. So Kara held her tongue as she peered up at Nofret's belly and when they passed Kahmunrah, she held her tongue about the hungry look he gave her.

She had seen that look before. It was the look between her parents when they were too eager to put her to bed.


	7. VII

Kara strapped her roller skates to her feet before her attendants had even come to her room to wake her, and prepare her for the day. She didn't need those busybodies interfering with her plans.

Kara was tired of having those two follow her around while Ahkmenrah was in classes, and every day proved itself to be a new opportunity to evade them. Though to be honest, she for the most part only had one attendant. Since Nofret seemed to get tired now, and so short of temper, watching Kara was a duty that fell to Setnay, who treated Kara like a baby.

Now she rolled down the hallways, past TM who smiled at her as she went by him. Kara stopped outside of the room that Ahkmenrah slept in. Most of the Pharaoh's children shared suite styled rooms with their mothers, but as Ahkmenrah was the son of the Pharaoh's first wife he had a room to himself, if you ignored his attendants. Had he been a crown prince like Kahmunrah he would have his own suite.

Outside Ahkmenrah's room, Kara knocked upon the door. It was opened by one of his attendants, a middle aged woman named Nuri. Nuri saw Kara and smiled, and bowed, "Lady Kara."

"Hiho, Nuri. Is Ahkie here?" inquired the small blonde girl, peering around the woman.

"Yes, Prince Ahkmenrah, your playmate is here, would you like to admit here."

"Yes, she may enter," came Ahkmenrah's voice from inside the room.

Nuri bowed an waved the small girl in.

She skated through the door and braked beside Ahkmenrah who at on his mother's lap. He scrambled down in time to have Kara screech to a stop in front of him and embrace him, "Hello, your majesty," Kara said to the queen over Ahkmenrah's shoulder

"Good morning, Kara," The Queen nodded, smiling, "You are awake early are you not?"

"Yeah, I'm tryin' to avoid Setnay. She pesters me so!"

"Do you not think that she is simply trying to do her job?"

"I guess so," Kara sighed, "Anyway, I have decided that I will be going to lessons with you Ahkah!"

"Uh... you have?" the Queen said, purely out of lack of anything else to say.

"Yes. I have nothing else to do with my time. I have already explored the whole of the palace, been forcibly removed from some parts and had it stated that I am not allowed to leave. I have also read my book. I am quite simply bored."

"Well... I will speak to the instructor and see if he will allow it."

Ahkmenrah grinned, "You will sit next to me, Kara!"

"Yes, of course," she smiled at his invitation.

"Come now! he pulled her forward, and she, still on wheels, rolled on after him, not moving her feet.

The Queen hurried after the children, reaching the courtyard where the children assembled for their lessons in time to see Kara's wheels hit dirt and for both children to topple over. Kara removed her skates as the Queen approached the Tutor.

"Seti," she addressed him.  
"My Queesn," he bowed low.

"Ahkmenrah's playmate has requested that she be given lessons."

"Of course."

"Now."

"Now?" the aged man's brows furrowed.

"Yes. She sits by my son now."

Seti glanced over at the girl as Ahkmenrah handed her a wax tablet and a stylus.

The pair chattered on.

"But she is too young to be taught!"

"You will teach her," the queen said calmly, "and you will treat her the same aas you treat my son, is that understood?"

"Yes, My Queen," he bowed once more.

"Very good," she gracefully departed.

Seti started over to the pair of students that shared the one small writing desk, "There are other desks here, young lady."

"I'm fine here," she said quietly.

"You are crowding the prince..." said Seti, beginning to pull the small girl to her feet.

"I want her to stay here!" said Ahkmenrah, as sternly as a five year old could sound. He gripped Kara's hand and pulled her back down. He held her hand tightly in his own, looking up at his teacher in a practically dismissing manner.

The girl sat readilly by her friend, holding on to his hand.

Seti frowned, pondering his options. Finding none, he returned to his other students.

It goes of course without saying that the two children spoke to each other throughout the lesson, to the point at which Seti sent a message to George requesting that he collect his daughter.

George happened to be with Ahkenaten at the time that the message came to him. He excused himself to see what the problem could be. Pharaoh followed, intrigued by the disruption and the child who had caused it.

Seti was pulling the girl to her feet as Ahkmenrah was pulling her back down. Kara laughed between the two.

"What seems to be the problem?" Pharaoh asked, as George rushed to his daughter's side to free her from Seti's grasp.

Seti bowed very low, "Pharaoh, I am honored by your presence!"

"That is not the answer to my question."

"This child is a distraction to my pupils. She crowds young Ahkmenrah and her ceaseless prattle draws attention from the work at hand!"

"He's a mean old man," Kara whispers to George.

"Father," Ahkmenrah spoke up, "It isn't her fault. Seti wanted her to move, and I wouldn't let her."

"Why?" Pharaoh asked, pretending to be stern with his favorite child.

"Because she is my friend, and I want her to sit by me."

"Why?"

"I do not want anyone to steal her from me."

"Steal her?" George asked.

"Don't worry Papa, he's just being silly," Kara whispered.

"In any case, I must ask you to remove this child from my class," Seti said.

"Not a problem," George scooped Kara up in his arms and started away, "it's refreshing to see a teacher who doesn't pretend that he cares for the individual child left to his care."

Ahkmenrah's eyes followed Kara as George carried her out, wishing to follow, but knowing her wasn't allowed to.

Pharaoh watched Ahkmenrah in a way that he did sometimes. Ahkmenrah turned his head down back to his wax tablet and repeated the work, glancing at Kara's tablet. Ahkenaten walked over and looked at Ahkmenrah's tablet, complimenting his son's work. His eyes fell on Kara's tablet. He picked it up and studied it. It wasn't a young student's copying hieroglyphs under a teacher's instruction.

Into the wax she had carved six squares, three by three with hieroglyphs carved in each square.

She should not know these symbols...

Ahkenaten rose and turned to Seti, "I must borrow this..."

"Yes, of course, Pharaoh," Seti bowed once more.

Pharaoh bowed in return, then ran after George and Kara.

"George!" Ahkenaten called, coming to a stop behind them.

"Pharaoh," George bowed, "I hope you will forgive the way i spoke-"

"Kara, is this yours?" Ahkenaten asked, kneeling, holding the tablet out to her.

"Yes," said the little girl.

"Where did you see this?"

"It came to me. I saw it in my mind, and I put it down."

"It just came into your mind?" asked the skeptical Pharaoh.

"Yes."

Ahkenaten stood and held the tablet out to George, "Did you tell her about this?"

"No, and my apprentices are sworn to secrecy," George said, brow furrowed.

"Then how would she come to know this? Is she a prophet?"

"i do not pretend to know."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No," George said calmly, "Why don't you go and play, munchkin?"

"Ok," she skated away in her wheeled shoes.

"Can she be trusted never to speak of what she knows?"

"Yes," George said, but what he didn't say was that this was what he had feared more than anything. He feared Kara having any special talents that could put her in danger. This was the last thing he had ever wanted.


	8. VIII

**AN Some history and plot twistings lie ahead. The Lumberjack Song belongs to Monty Python, and the use of it as a lullaby belongs to my father. The idea of sitting on the laps of giant statues is borrowed from the Prince of Egypt.**

The Nubians had once more been defeated, and so their king was to feast with the Pharaoh. Kara hadn't even realized Egypt was at war. Ahkmenrah attempted to reassure her, "No, we go to war every year. It's just the way of it."

"Seems like a waste."

"No, we always win, and every year the loser is supposed to send tribute to the conquerers, and because it's too much work, they never do, and so we go to war to reaffirm our dominence."

Kara could tell by the words that they weren't Ahk's. They sounded more like Kahmunrah.

Ahkmenrah was actually clothed for the feast. He wore a shendyt kilt, like what his older brother and father wore, as did TM and George. Kara, The Queen, Rikki, and Ahkmenrah's little sister Arsinoe, were dressed in dresses made of fine linen. The Queen's hair was braided, and she wore the chief wife's crown. Ahkmenrah demanded a diadem for Kara, who rejected the idea.

In the feast, George sat next to Kara in the feast hall, on her other side was Ahkmenrah. The two children were talking to each other, and contentedly eating with their hands. The fun momentarily ended when Ahkmenrah stuck a berry in his nose to amuse Kara, and found himself unable to remove it, at which point, Kara reached over and squished the offending berry, making it fall away, but also squirt up into the prince's nose, leaving him looking mortally horrified, which made Kara laugh even harder.

"Your face is... so priceless!" she said gasping for breath.

"Mama!" Ahk whined.

"You learned you lesson, correct?" The Queen asked, as he scrambled into her lap, nodding, "Food is not for our noses."

"But George did it!"

"What?" she looked over in time to see George pull the asperagus out of his nostril.

"Again Papa!" Said Kara.

"Um, I think not, munchkin," he said, noticing the Queen's disapproving look that just covered her own amusement. Not at the fact that George had had food in his nose, but at the fact that he stopped at nothing to amuse his child.

"Are you to continue being a bad influence on the children."

"Why yes, my lady, of course."

She smiled, "I think it's time for the children to go to bed," she said.

This was said because The Pharaoh, Ahkenamun had arranged for dancing girls to be brought to entertain, and it was considered adult entertainment, as the women were generally scantilly clad. The attendants began to collect the children, and George scooped up his daughter, to put her to bed.

"George," Ahkenamun called, "Be sure to hurry back."

George smiled, though, he personally would have prefered to stay in his rooms. He put Kara to sleep, following the usual routine, checking the room for monsters, and ended with the usual lullaby,

"**Oh**," George sang, "**I'm a lumberjack  
And I'm ok  
I sleep all night and I work all day  
(He's a lumberjack  
And he's ok  
He sleeps all night and he works all day)**

****

I cut down trees  
I eat my lunch  
I go to the lavatry'  
On Wednesdays I go shopping  
and have buttered scones for tea  
(He cuts down trees  
He eats his lunch  
He goes to the lavatry'  
On Wednesdays He goes shopping  
and has buttered scones for tea  
I cut down trees)

I'm a lumberjack  
And I'm ok  
I sleep all night and I work all day  
I cut down trees  
I skip and jump  
I like to press wild flowers  
I put on womens' clothing and hang around in bars  
(He cuts down trees  
He skips and jumps  
He likes to press wild flowers  
He puts on womens' clothing and hang around in bars?)

I'm a lumberjack  
And I'm ok  
I sleep all night and I work all day  
I cut down trees  
I wear high heels  
Suspendies' and a bra  
I wish I'd been a girly  
Just like my dear pa-pa  
(He cuts down trees  
He wears high heels?)

**(He's a lumberjack  
And he's ok  
He sleeps all night and he works all day  
He sleeps all night and he works all day)"**

Kara always giggled, but without the song, she refused to sleep.

George went back to the hall, running into the Queen along the way, "My lady," he bowed.

"I've told you, George, you needn't go through all that, simply call me Sacmis."

"I prefer things the way they are, my lady."

"You've thought of what we spoke about, then?"

"I have."

"And you remain unchanged in your opinion?"

He hesitated, "I'm married, as are you. I will not be here forever, and there are other things besides."

"Such as?"

"I can not betray your husband's trust! Especially considering who he is!"

She began to walk, staring at her feet, "It intriques me that none of the reasons you give involve a lack of attraction to me," she said, walking away from him to sit by her husband.

x0x0x0x0x0x

Kara sat up in the dark screaming. Her father was no where to be seen, nor was TM or Rikki. But the nightmare... she crawled from bed and ran down the halls to Ahkmenrah's room and went into where he slept, climbed onto the bed next to him, and poked him in the stomach, "Wake up!"

He sat up, "What are you doing here?" he whispered.

"They're coming for me!"

"Who?"

"I don't know... the men. They want to take me away!" she said, "They came in the door and stole me!"

"Clearly not," Ahk said, groggy.

She pinched him, "Don't joke, I'm scared!"

He froze. He had never in a million years thought that he would hear those words from her. She was never afraid of anything ever. She taunted the guards when they scolded her, "I'm sorry."

"Can I stay here? I don't want to be alone."

He nodded, and she crawled under the covers with him.

George returned to his rooms to find his daughter missing. This was what he had feared most of all, he ran through the palace to any place she liked to hide. She wasn't behind any collumns, nor in the lap of the twenty five foot sitting statues of the gods. She wasn't by the fish ponds in the gardens. He ran to the rooms of Sacmis. One of her attendants opened the door, "Sir?"

"Is my daughter here?"

"No."

"Have you seen her anywhere?"

"No, I'm sorry-"

Sacmis appeared in the door, "Did you check Ahkmenrah's room?"

George ran, without another word or thought, to the prince's room, and tapped the door. Nuri answered the door.

"Is Kara here?" he gasped.

"Yes, though I don't know when she got here," she motioned him in to where the toddlers slumbered. Kara's head rested on Ahkmenrah's chest, one of his arms was flung out to the side, the other was wrapped around Kara, "She can stay if you prefer..."

"Um, sure... she can stay, if it doesn't inconvience you."

"Not at all, sir," Nuri bowed, and escorted George out, "It is as if she walked through the walls," she chuckled.

George smiled, "Thank you."

Once the door closed, George cast a protective spell over the door, against unfriendly visitors.


	9. IX

**AN: Hey, two things. 1. I had to change the Pharaoh's name to Ahkenamun, sorry I didn't say so last time. 2. the ancient egyptians didn't have a word for queen, but writing chief wife over and over starts to sound kinda not so woman friendly.**

**Any way, enjoy.**

"Daddy?" Kara asked one day, while waiting for Ahkmenrah to finish his classes, "Why does Ahkie call that woman his mother?"

"Because she is," George said in a voice that was more level than his nerves at this question.

"But she can't be. It's highly improbable."

"What do you mean?" George asked.

"He doesn't look much like her. Boys tend to look like their mommies, and girls like their daddies. Ahk doesn't look like the Queen, at least, not the way that other boys look like their mommies."

"That rule isn't always true. Ahkmenrah looks like his Father doesn't he?"

"I guess so... but I know he isn't like Kahmunrah... there seems to be no clear genetic pattern linking the two of them," Kara said, and George had to remind himself that his daughter was about to turn four, "It seems improbable that they share a mother... and the Queen treats Ahkie different than she treats her daughters..."

"That's how things are here. Boys are valued more."

"But she just-"

"Kara, enough. I'm telling you that Ahkmenrah's mother is his mother, can't you leave it at that?"

"I just don't-"

"I know." Curiousity edged in George's mind, "What made you think of this?"

"I had a dream that another woman birthed him, and she died, and then the Queen claimed the baby," Kara said.

George looked at her than away. Few were privy to that information, "It was just a dream Kara."

"You said that about my dream about the square thing, too, but look how angry it made the Pharaoh..."

"Kara. Just leave it be? Please?"

A few minutes later, the classes let out, and Kara and Ahk went off to play in the garden. George watched them, as he sometimes did. Since Kara's incident with the tablet dream, he began watching her more closely. She seemed to be developing at an over excelerated rate, but beyond what seemed possible. She would often sit and stare at people, sometime responding to things they hadn't said, not out loud any way. She had vivid dreams that seemed to teach her.

George was so deep in these thoughts that he didn't hear Pharaoh come up behind him.

"Perhaps we should arrange a marriage between them," Ahkenamun, said, jokingly.

George smiled, "I don't think my wife would like me making such a decision with out her."

"Would your daughter do better than a king in your lands?" Ahkenamun asked.

"Considering that there isn't one- wait... King? Ahkmenrah isn't to be Pharaoh is he?" George asked, "Kahmunrah is."

Ahkenamun looked serious, "Come now, George, you and I both know, that even with the age gap, Ahkmenrah is more responsible than Kahmunrah."

"He's a child, sir."

"He will not always be. I have to do what I think is best for my people. I don't think Kahmunrah will make the best leader. He possesses the strength, but not the compassion, or mercy. I doubt he will ever learn them."

"He's young, too. He may grow into the role," George said, knowing that nothing would change the course of history. He knew there was a Pharaoh named Ahkmenrah, and that he was linked to the tablet, but that was the limit of his knowledge. He hadn't known Kahmunrah was to be passed over entirely.

"I think he is what he is. This is nothing against him. He is just not the one I wish to leave in command."

George watched the two children playing, and wondered where their child laughter would end. Ahkmenrah grinned at Kara, wrapping his arms around her, and attempting to nuzzle her face, only to have Kara knock him down, and sit on his chest.

She plucked up blades of grass and let them fall on the prince's face. He tried to blow them out of the way, swallowing some blades. The boy made a disgusted face, and looked ready to cry, until Kara leaned over him and kissed his cheek, then he mildly brightened, though it was clear he didn't know what this gesture was to mean.

What would it be like to have his daughter contracted to marry a future Pharaoh?

Would she be happy?

Would they love each other forever? Or would this thing pass.

Surely it would. They were children. Nothing more. Even if it was sweet to see.

His daughter would do better than a marriage. She could save the world, if she lived that long.

x0x0x0x0x0x

Kahmunrah didn't hide his contempt for Kara very well. The pest didn't know her place, or that of anyone else. She spoke to a servant the same way she spoke to his father.

She walked into private rooms as if she owned them herself, regardless of what the room was, or whatever the inhabitants might be doing.

And if that wasn't enough, the priests were sure that she was some sort of divine being, and for the worst reason.

She would sometimes be looking at him, and he swore, by all the gods, that she saw everything in his soul. Every dark deed, every embarrassment and imperfection. The child was a freak. She would answer people's thoughts, and they thought her charming and sweet.

She had gone with Ahkmenrah to the temple of Ra, and she looked at the carvings and the statues, and she began to dance around in circles, up on her toes, arms stretched up over her head.

She wandered into the inner chamber, a forbidden act. And instead of rebuke her, the priests studied her, and proclaimed to the Pharaoh that she was a child favored by the gods with the gift of seeing concealed truths.

They wanted her for a priestess or an oracle, and the child doesn't even know the difference between Horus the Elder, and Horus the Younger.

Because of her "special gifts" she got away with everything.

Something had to be done about this child.


	10. X

"Kara, someday, you will be my wife," Ahkmenrah said, definately.

"I should think not, sir!" Kara said, grinning wide.

"You will so!"

"No self respecting woman would wed herself to a boy that doesn't even wear clothes!" Kara scolded, playfully, as she often did with him.

"By then I would have clothes," protested the youth.

"I still wouldn't marry you anyway," Kara said, grinning to herself.

"Why not?" Ahkmenrah asked, genuinely offended, "You won't do do better than a prince," it was something he had heard Kahmunrah saying to a girl... but he hadn't married her. She'd started getting fat, then Ahkmenrah never saw her again.

Kara glared at him, "You never know, sir. Might marry a god. Might not marry at all."

"That would be a waste," Ahkmenrah said.

"What would?"

"You being alone, old and alone."

"And you would save me from that?" Kara asked, "What would I do as your wife?"

"I don't know," Ahkmenrah admitted, "Have babies."

"What if I don't want any?"

"Do you?" Ahkmenrah asked, confused by what kind of woman wouldn't want children.

"I do, but you shouldn't have assumed that I would."

"You're weird. I don't want to marry you anymore," Ahkmenrah said, firmly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine. I didn't want to marry you to begin with!" Kara said, incredulous.

Ahkmenrah's firm resolve weakened suddenly, "Please?"

Kara laughed, and ran off to meet her father and tell him about the silly boy who had asked for her hand in marriage, for the gods knows what reason.

x0x0x0x0x0x

Later George approached the prince, and at first, Ahkmenrah's face lit up at the approach of his best friend's father. Until he saw the serious look on the man's face. It was a scolding face. Ahkmenrah quickly did his best to look innocent. It worked for Frankie. Why shouldn't it work for him?

George had never seemed so great big as he did now towering over Ahkmenrah. For a full minute he stood there silently.

Then the words came, "You asked my daughter to marry you?"

"Yes, sir..." the small boy stared up with his eyes as wide as they would ever go.

Sacmis stood nearby watching, smiling just a little.

"Y-yes, sir..."

"Without my permission?" George asked, even more stern.

Ahkmenrah turned as white as linen, "I didn't mean any disrespect."

"Is there something you want to ask me?" George asked.

"Can I... ask your daughter to marry me?" Ahkmenrah asked slowly, unsure of the words that tumbled from his lips.

"I don't see why not," George said, allowing a small smile, "Let that be a lesson."

"Yes sir..."

"Run along now."

Ahkmenrah tumbled away, partially terrified of what would happen if he stayed where he was.

Sacmis walked over to George as quiet as she could, but he heard her anyway, and turned to face her. seeing who it was, she bowed to her. She waved off the gesture, "There's no need for that, you know."

"The lack of need does not constitute a lack of duty to do so," George said, smiling.

"I am going for a walk," she said.

"Then I'll let you-" George began.

"Walk with me," she commanded, gliding along.

George couldn't say no to her. He fell in beside her, "I don't think that I-"

"I know what you're going to say, and by now you should understand my disregard for it. I spoke with your daughter, about your wife..."

"What did she say?" George asked nervously. He didn't really like talking about the family. There was a lot in it that was best left unsaid.

"Not much, just enough for me to wonder why you married who you did," she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I thought, admittedly, misguided, that she would mature, and be a good mother, and wife."

"And she didn't?" Sacmis asked.

"Why did you marry who you did. I mean, you can't exactly judge my marriage, when you moon after a man who isn't your husband."

"I didn't have a choice in the matter. That's the difference between us."

George silently agreed.


	11. XI

The other men set upon them, as they did, the children fought and screamed, but for once there was no one around to hear.

Kara and Ahkmenrah played as they usually did, and as most children do, without any really real rules. They ran in circles about the palace, in and out of gardens and temples, and columns.

They were happy children. As happy as any child had ever been. They seemed to feed into each other's feelings. If one was upset, so would the other be, until they both felt better, and it seemed that they only felt better if they were together.

They were truly the best of friends.

What Ahkmenrah liked best about Kara was that she was either unaware of protocol, or didn't care. It gave him the chance to do what he would never be able to do without her. She wandered into parts of the palace that she shouldn't, and had on a few occasions almost gone outside of the palace walls. He had been able to follow her because she didn't know any better, and could always say he was trying to stop her. But no one ever asked. People always smiled at her, adoringly. She won them easily over, smiling up at them, or feigning innocence, but she didn't have to anymore. She was some sort of gift from the gods, and was now granted new liberty.

She could freely walk in to the places where they prepared food, and smile sweetly up at the bakers until they would give her a treat, a pastry, or a bit of sugar cane.

Ahkmenrah would follow her where ever she went.

He followed her into that garden on that day that would change the course of their lives.

Ahkmenrah lay in a patch of grass by the wall, and Kara sat beside him, toying with the wildflowers that poked their faces up through the grass. She pulled one up and smoothed the petals over her face, then over Ahkmenrah's cheek.

"Someday I want to make my hair this color," she said smiling at the brilliant blue of the flower.

Ahkmenrah rolled on to his stomach and stared at her as if he thought her mad, "Why?"

"I like it."

"You'll never get married if your hair is blue!" he said.

"What is it with you and marriage?" she said.

"I don't understand how you can be a woman, and not think about marriage. My sisters never can stop talking about it," he rested his chin in his hands.

"Would you not marry me because my hair is blue?" she asked, turning her head a touch to the side and upwards so the sun caught in her hair.

"I don't know..." his face turned red, and he looked at the grass sprouting between them. Kara grinned the way she always did when she made him so uncomfortable. It wasn't just any uncomfortable, she usually felt bad if she mad him feel that. But this embarrassment gave her a strange sort of thrill.

He began to tell her about his day, smiling at her, as he talked so his eyes crinkled. She liked his eyes. They were like hers, but with green in them, too. They were pretty, but strange. Kara hadn't seen anyone else at the court with eyes like his. Not even his parents. They were like the Nile river where it met with the palace.

Sudden movement Kara's eye, as a few men dropped down the wall with ropes. Ahkmenrah looked back, saw them, and lept to his feet, "Who are you?"

They smirked at him. They were dirty, and dressed very barely in dark material. They moved towards the children. The two backed from them, and Ahkmenrah shoved Frankie behind himself.

"Ahkie, run," she said, "they're not here for you..."

"Looks like we've found the right girl, boys," the one that was clearly the leader said.

"You're bandits," Ahkmenrah said.

"Smart one, you are," said the leader sarcastically, "Why don't you use that brain of your and run along now, son?"

"I am not your son, and I will not let you just take Kara."

The Bandit smirked again, drawing a blade from his belt, and kneeling in front of the small prince. He placed the point of the knife under Ahkmenrah's chin, "You seem confused, son. We're going to take her whether you let us or not. I'm simply offering the chance to walk away without pain or death."

The little boy did not move, even as Kara gripped his arm, "Ahkie, just go."

"No," he said defiantly, his jaw set, eyes narrowed.

A quick change came into the bandit's face. He took Ahkmenrah's face in his hand, "Let's take a look at those eyes..." a calculating look came into her face. He stood and started away. Ahkmenrah began to believe he had succeeded in staring down the man, until he said, "Take them both."


	12. XII

The room smoldered in the night. In most parts of egypt, and in most homes, the desert's nights were cold, but the stone walls and the mass of people in the room made the room stuffy and the smell of all the people didn't help the situation.

Ahk slept curled up by Kara, but his sleep was not fitful. Kara didn't sleep. She sat up in the night, watching every person in the cell.

She was not used to being so helpless, and here she was, kneeling in the close air, and quietly praying to the gods she'd found in this land, and hoped that they would somehow intercede in her, and Ahkmenrah's behalf.

X0x0x0x0x0x

Hotep, Pharaoh's high priest kneeled before the nervous monarch, "Sire, I have news of the children!"

"Speak!" Pharaoh commanded.

"The temple of Isis... The offering statue of the goddess... She was seen to cry tears of blood!"

"What does this mean?" Pharaoh demanded, "And what has it to do with the fact that my SON has been stolen?"

"Father..." Kahmunrah came towards Pharaoh, "The gods have their plans. Maybe this has happened for a reason..."

"A reason? For what reason would they take my son? And George's daughter. What reason?"

Kahmunrah looked away.

George stood quietly at a nearby table, going over every report that had been filed about the slave trade in Nekhene. He marked on a map of the city where known hideouts of the different gangs were. Pharaoh moved over to George, "Don't worry, my friend. We will find your daughter."

"Of course we will. No one has said otherwise," George's brow furrowed, and he looked at the nervous priest, "You say Isis cried blood?"

"Yes, Lord," The priest said.

"How do you know it was blood?"

"It was a dark liquid... Coming from inside the statue... What else could it be?"

"Well, as stone doesn't usually bleed, I'm not quiet sure how you decided this... Take me to this statue."

0x0x0x0x0x0

George stood very close to the statue of Isis. Closer than was considered allowable, but no one dared say a word. He studied very carefully the painted stone. A blackish liquid oozed from the painted tear-ducts.

"Hm... Alright... I need you all to leave," George said.

"Why?" Hotep asked.

"Why because, sir, because."

Pharaoh moved in close to George, "What exactly are you up to?"

"Pharaoh. I need to be alone..."

Pharaoh sighed and led the men away. George stood less than a step from the statue, and began to chant, to summon Isis.

A warm wind filled the room with no windows, and George opened his eyes, "Isis," he bowed his head.

"George, I have a message for you!" Isis said urgently, "I know where Kara is."


	13. XIII

The words made George feel a sense of relief, "Where?"

Isis smiled, "Not even a hello?"

George scowled, "You didn't say hello, if you really want to be petty."

"I'm no such thing. Your daughter summoned me."

"She summoned?"

"She prayed to me, and I heard her," Isis walked slowly about the room, studying the likenesses of the other gods, "A man named Eshkara has her. He did not act alone. He wouldn't take a child from Ahkenamun's palace unless someone made it worth his while to take such a risk."

"Someone payed him to take Kara?"

"Someone you know," Isis smiled, annoying George.

George had been immeadiately let down when he had realized his help would have to come from Isis. She was a woman that made sure that her family had every power it could claim. She would help him only if it benefited her, "Who and why are not so important as where. Where are they?"

"They're being held by greek slave traders in the city."

"Where?"

"On the farthest edge of the city. So far out it's practically not even in the city."

"Are you going to tell me exactly where they are, or not?"

"Only if you swear something to me."

"Name it before I make any oath."

"You'll do everything in your power to be sure Ahkmenrah does not become Pharaoh."

"Why?"

"Because Kahmunrah is more my kin than Ahkmenrah is," Isis said, leaning against the shrine of her son, Horus, "The boy is only half mine. Kahmunrah's parents were both of my family. Ahkmenrah's mother isn't my kin."

"Kahmunrah will be Pharaoh. It's already set to happen, but Ahkmenrah will be Pharaoh first. He will die without an heir. Your line in ensured."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. But what else? You never just have one request."

"I want your daughter to join my bloodline. If I save her, I want her to be bound to one of them. If she will not be bound by matrimonial law, than I want at least for her to someday bear a child that will carry on my line."

"Why would you want that?"

"Oh, George," she chuckled, "we all know what Kara is."

"A child. That's what she is. She is a little girl with her whole life ahead of her."

"Oh, does she? It's your choice."

"I can't guarantee anything... but if she is gifted, her child won't be."

Isis smirked, "Don't worry about it. And you don't have to guarantee. You just have to say that you'll try."

George swallowed past the lump in his throat, "I'll do what I can."

Isis smiled and extended her hand out to him. George took it, and a glowing tendril wrapped itself around his wrist and hers, and he knew that for the rest of his life he would be bound to this pledge, "If you don't keep your word, I'll intercede.'

"Tell me where my child is, or there will be nothing for you to intercede for," George said, yanking his hand free of her grasp.

I'll show you. Bring me a map."

George went to the door, and leaned out, demanding a map be brought to him. When it was, he slammed the door shut, and held it out to her. Isis pressed her finger against the eastern most edge of the city, "They will be here, and they will put up a fight."

"How many?"

"Fifty. Remember to them, you're taking their property" she climbed up the side of her shrine, "I hope you succeed. These children are pure."

"Yes, you care so much for their safety that you couldn't save them yourself."

"If I simply did that, what would I gain?"

"Knowing that you did a good deed?"

"Come now, George, you know me better than that," she smiled, then grimaced, looking at the plain faced statue of herself, "these humans do me no justice."

"They believe that if it looks too much like you, it will try to be you."

She rolled her eyes, "Humans... they should know that it wouldn't, without some sort of spell... a talisman...or I don't know..." she peered at him, "A tablet?" she slipped into the statue.


End file.
